Expression device for phonographs



R. HEAD EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Sept. 4, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 amoemtoz R. HEAD I EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS March 18 1924.

Filed Sept. 4, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 amen- 6oz I @fly/ M (Mimi Mm March 18 1924.

- R. HEAD EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS s sheet s-sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1920 $51 A; abhor/W01 Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT HEAD, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

' EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAP HS.

Application filed September 4, 1920. Serial No. 408,225.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT HEAD, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Yonkers, Westchester Count New York, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Expression Devices for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to means for automatically repeatedly operating the tone volume control of a phonograph. This varies the volume of the tone as long as the device is in operation, and produces an eflect which I have discovered relieves the monotony of the average phonograph rendition and actually increases the pleasurable effect. The device can be thrown out of operation at will, and then does not interfere with the operation of the volume control device by hand.

The drawings illustrate the preferred form of my invention, and is only one of the specific embodiments my invention is adapted to take. In them, Fig. 1 is a fore and aft vertical section, partly in elevation, of a phonograph equipped with my present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale as compared with Fig. 1 of a part of the motor-board showing the arts of my device that are supported there y; Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of the parts in Fig. 2 as looked.

at from the lower side of said Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view ofthe parts in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4 exce t that the parts of my present device are s own adjusted into their non-operating position so as not to operate the tone-volume control device.

Describing now the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings,--1 is the cabinet of the phonograph contaming the usual sound-box, tone-arm-and horn 2. 3 is the usual removable motor board, so called because it supports the springor other motor that drives the spindle 5 and turn-table 6.

7 represents any tone-control device, in this case comprising a soft rubber throat within the neck of the horn, with which a soft rubber plug-valve on a vertical valve-stem 8 co-operates.

Manual means for reciprocatin this valve and valve-stem comprises the to lowin ,-9 is a link connecting the lower end 0 the valve-stem with one arm of an elbow-lever 10 pivotally supported at 11, theother arm of said lever being constantly pulled on by a spiral spring 12 attached to the bracket 13. This spring tends constantly to retract the plug-valve away from the throat.

To operate the valve in the opposite direction, a lever 14 is provided, pivotally supported at 11 and adapted to be pulled against a pin 15 projecting from the side of the el-.

Describing now my means for automati-' cally operating the valve :-21 is a rod whose lower end is pivotally connected to the valvestem 8 and whose upper end is pivotally connected to one arm of an elbow-lever 22 pivotally supported at 23.

24 is a gear driven by the upper or driving gear of the spring-motor 4:, said gear being secured to a vertical spindle 25 (turning in the bearin 27) having a crank-arm 28 on its lower end. 29 is a connecting-rod operatively connecting said crank-arm with a reciprocating tubular member 30 slidably mounted on the arm 31 of a rock-shaft 32 supported in the bearing 33 said rock-shaft at its upper end having another arm 34 connected by a link 35 with a pin 36 on the enlarged head 37 constituting the lower end of the rotatable stud 38 supported in a vertical hole through the motor-board 3.

The upper end of said rotatable stud 38 is provided with a knurled operating-head 39 and a pointer 40, the latter playing over a stationa)ry dial 41' marked on and oil? Fi 2 42 is a pin on the underside of the motorboard coacting with the shoulders 43-43 on the aforesaid lower head 37 of the stud 38. These limit the rotation of the stud when turned by its knurled head 39 to the distance between the two positions on and ofi (F ig. 2) shown on the dial. When the ointer is at the on position, as in Fig. 2, then the link 35 will have rotated the rock-shaft 32 into the position shown in Figs, 1, 2, 3 or 4, thereby positioning the &

arm so that the end of the reciprocating tubular member is in operative alignment with the arm of the elbow-lever 22.

The result is that as said member 30 is slowly reciprocated hack and forth on said arm 31 (by the above oescribed connecting rod 29 and crank-arm 2S driven by the spring-motor through the gear 24: and shaft 25), the hell-crank 22 is repeatedly swung to the left and then to the right, each left-hand swing (F ig. 1) gradually closing the tone-controi valve to reduce the volume of the tone. and each right-hand swing doirigzr the reverse.

It may he noted that the right-hand swing 0? 'he elbow-lever is produced by the s ring 12 (Fig. 1) as and when permitted by the rigtt-hand reciprocation of the reciprocatinh' member 30. 45 (Fig. 1) is a fixed stop which engages the elbow-lever 22 when the latter is in the position shown in Fig l. ther by making this the limit of the righthand swinging of said lever.

To throw outof operation the described automatic operation of the tone-volume control. he operator merely rotates the knob 39 to carry the pointer a0 (Fin: 1) to off on the dial. This acts to position the parts in the positions shown in Fig, 5, wherein the reciprocating member 30 is out of align ment with the elbow-iever 22 and therefore cannot operate it or the tone-control device. in spite of the fact that said member 30 keeps on reciprocating because constantly lriven by the spring-motor that operates the phonograph.

The relative size of the operating gears of course determines the time or duration of the alternating reductions and increases in tcne-yolume when the automatic device is in operation. This should be fairly slow and gradual to produce an artistic effect in accord with good taste.

Next the m ans "for connecting the link 35 and the pin 36 deserves special mention. This i best sh wn by comparing Figs. 2, 3. land o; and consists of a hole 46 (Figs 2 or 4:) in the link freely receiving the headed pin 36, with a piece of tensioned spring-wire 47 having its ends secured to the pin and link and yieldingly tending in the plane of Fig. 2 or 4 to force said link and pin away from each other,

This yielding; resilient connection comes especially into use as follows: Suppose the phonograph is in operation, and the operator turns the knob 39 (Fig. 2) to put on the automatic control as shown in said figure. The. chances are that in doing so, the constantly reciprocating member 30 will be in its extended posit-ion and will strike against the side 22 of the elbow-lever 22. This will prevent said member 30 from coming into its operative position shown in Fig. 2 but, due to the play allowed between the enlarged hole 46 in the link and the pin 36, vill not prevent the operator irom brinying the pointer 40 and said pin 36 into the "011 position shown in Fig. 2 or -l-.

he result will be that tl e spring l7 will l. he additionally ctnupreslesl and wil. autoniatically snap the link 35. the crank-arms B l-31. and the reciprocating member 30 into their operating papition shovi in Fig, 9 as soon as towa s the end (it the next right-hand reciprocation of said memo-er it course. only a portion or portions of the above embodiment an be used: als equivalents n. he substi uted tor the parts shown or modifications can he made I y will be apparent to those sh. (l in the from an HLI erstanding ot my invetit o wl Z h illl will be with n the snir. 1 an: inventimi and oil the annexed 1. In comb ation with a pl and autoi t ons.

In combination with a phon ph. a tone volume control. and, motor driven means which repeatedly operates said tone volume control.

In combination with a phonograph, a tone-vohune control, motor-driven means which repeatedly operates said tone-voh1me control, and m ans for throwing said motordriven means into and out of ion.

4. In combination with a phonograph. a tone-volume control. means for manually operating same, motor-driven means which repeatedly operates said tone-volume con trol, and means throwing said motordriven means into and out of action.

5. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; n'ieans constantly tenth ing to operate said control in one direction; manual means for operating said. control in the reverse direction by contact therewith. so that the control means can be operated independently of said manual means; mo tor-driven means which repeatedly operates said tone-volume control; and means for throwing said motor-driven means into and out of action.

o erator. {I}:

a rt 9 J I claim is:

6. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; means constantly tending to operate said control in onedirection: an operatively supported and connected lever for operating said control in the opposite direction; and a motor-driven reciprocating member adapted to contact with and operate said lever.

7. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; means constantly tending to operate said control in one direction; an operatively supported and connected lever for .operating said control in the oposite direction; a motor-driven reciprocating member adapted to contact with and operate said lever; and manual means adapted to shift said motor-driven reciprocating member and said lever into and out of operative contact.

8. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; means constantly tending to operate said control in one direction; an operatively supported and connected lever for operating said control in the o posite direction; a motor-driven crank, lin connected to a reciprocatory member mounted on a support; and means for moving said support to carr said reciprocatory member into and out o operative relationship with said lever.

9. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; means constantly tending to operate said control in one direction; a motor-driven reciprocating member adapted by contact to operate sald control in the opposite direction; manually operable means also adapted by contact to operate the control in said opposite direction; and means for shifting the reciprocating member into and out of its said operative relationship.

10. In combination with a phonograph, a tone-volume control; means constantly tending to operate said control in one direction; an operatively supported and connected lever for operating said control in the opposite direction; a motor-driven crank, linkconnected to a reciprocatory member mount--v ed on a support; and means including a yielding resilient connection adapted to move said support and reciprocatory member into operative relationship with said lever, said means being reversely operative ti)1 take the parts out of operative relations 1 l l. In a phonograph, the combination with a rotatable record support, a motor for actuating the support, and a sound conduit, of a tone regulator coacting with the sound conduit, and connections between the tone regulator and the motor whereby the tone regulator is actuated by the motor, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a phonograph, the combination with a rotatable record sup ort, a motor for actuating the support, an a sound conduit, of a tone regulator coacting with the sound conduit, connections between the tone regulator and the motor whereby the tone regulator is actuated by the motor, and means for connecting and disconnectin the tone regulator to the motor, substantial y as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this third day of September, 1920.

ROBERT HEAD. 

